Oooo I’m up late!! Rather, I’m writing late : ) And probably heading right to bed after this. Did you guys watch Downton Abbey and The Bachelor this week? The first half of the week gets all the good TV. But don’t worry – Survivor fills up the rest 😉 I LOVED the story line about Mary + her hotel stay in Downton and Whitney is my current favorite for Chris. Kaitlyn is pretty fun too, but I can see Whitney as his wife. Kelsey needs more time with him!
We have/had a lot of half-used bags of veggies in our freezer, including some cooked lentils, so I decided to turn them into a soup for dinner. While I totally agree that fresh vegetables taste best, frozen are 97% as good in soup form and sure save a lot of chopping time!
For this soup I combined in a pot (estimated):
- 2.5 cups frozen cooked lentils
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 1 smashed clove garlic
- 1 box chicken broth
- 1 cup dry barley
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese to taste
I brought the pot to a boil and then simmered for about 25 minutes, until the barley was cooked through.
The pot made about 6 servings – 4 if you have a hearty appetite! And of course everything was super nutritious. The Parmesan cheese and hot sauce made the dish!
One more lifestyle tidbit to note: I have CANCELLED my Restoration Hardware table order!! A few of you pointed out that the table was completely unfinished. And while I loved the feel and color, I started to freak out about oil and water stains. So we are back on the market for a dining room table – preferably one that can take a little more food on top!
See y’all tomorrow.
Tamara Dabic says
I’m making some quite similar tn except with fresh veggies! Might have to add some lentils though!
Emily H. says
Wow! Looks good but very,very thick – more like a stew or just a lentil dish? How much broth would you recommend for an actual soup-like consistency?
KathEats says
A few more cups? We like our soups thick!
Kaila@HealthyHelperBlog says
Lots of my fave veggies all in one soup! And anything with lentils is guaranteed to be hearty and delish! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Julie says
I love Downton Abby and The Bachelor! I also like Whitney for Chris, but it’s too early to tell.
Lynn @ The Actor’s Diet says
Woah, I can’t remember the last time I was the first to comment on one of your posts! I love lentil soups; it’s time to make one!
Linda @ The Fitty says
I’m fairly certain you can also have some chopped carrots to this…yes?
KathEats says
No carrots!
beth says
it looks like there are green beans in the soup also? How many cups? You cooked the lentils earlier and then froze them? I never thought to do that!
KathEats says
Yes about a cup! And yes, I cooked the lentils and froze them in a freezer bag.
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Yum! It’s always nice to have a recipe that can be made without a lot of fresh ingredients on hand!
Katie Lang says
Four hands has some great interesting kitchen tables.
Fran says
Isn’t there green beans in that soup?
KathEats says
Yes sorry. ..left them off!
Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties says
so this is totally unrelated but this reminds me of a story in my family that my mom used to save leftover veggies from dinner in a big container in the freezer and then turn them into soup! But one time she used an old ice cream container and my bro opened it (expecting ice cream) and was SO annoyed to find veggies. ha!!
KathEats says
Hahaha!
Kristin says
Just a suggestion from a fellow mom, we have used a great looking but inexpensive Pier 1 table for 7 years, and it has been the best choice. Kids are kids and will destroy a nice table so get one that you don’tibd having scratches, paint marks, glitter etc on! It’s better to get a cheap table now with little kids and save your nice one for a few years from now. Just my opinion. 🙂
Kat says
we have the crate and barrel basque table and love it. It handles 3 kids pretty well!!!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
I have seriously been looking for ways to use up lentils. I went on a random buying spree of them at the bulk food store….with no plans on what to do with them. Life of a food blogger.
BUT, then you posted this! Pinning!
Beth says
My husband and I loved some of the dining tables at restoration hardware. We live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and finally settled on a handmade farm table (with extensions for a party) entirely handmade by the Amish. We got 40% off by buying the floor model and paid around 1700. Everyone comments on the quality and look of it. I felt like the money we spent was worth it since we bought local and every detail was handmade. They even delivered for free. Come take a trip to Intercourse, PA the next time they invite you to Hershey!
Rachel says
Looks delicious! I love a recipe that gives me the chance to clean out the freezer/fridge/pantry.
Hannah @ eat, drink and save money says
This is why I love love love your blog! You make it so easy to use up leftovers. I also have half full bags of veggies in my freezer. What a great idea. Thanks!
Emily says
My husband is in the process of making us a kitchen table out of reclaimed cypress. I like a table to show some wear and with 3 kids this table will, but we can always sand and refinish it. Hopefully, one day one of my kids will want the table for their own house.
Livi @ Eat, Pray, Work It Out says
This is such a great ida!
Allison says
Kath, if you haven’t checked out Concepts Created, out of Staunton, you should! We bought our table from them a few years ago and absolutely LOVE it. They use beautiful reclaimed wood from around Central VA (ours was from a barn built in the 1860’s out by Harrisonburg). We have a 17 month old and use it daily, it’s holding up great. Plus, Bryan and Susan (the owners) are great people and it’s fun to support them. http://www.conceptscreated.com/public_html/home.html
Katie M says
I’m not sure exactly what you’re looking for in a table, but we ordered one from Designs in Wood/Carolina Farm Table and it is amazing. We also got a matching bench (very versatile). I highly recommend working with them if you are interested in having a nice, long-lasting piece of furniture.
http://carolinafarmtable.com/
Eileen says
We have a “table pad” and I would never go without in a house with kids. We have a gorgeous, farmhouse-style table, and it’s just not worth it to me to be worrying all the time about stains, spills, etc. The table has PLENTY of wear-and-tear on it even with the table pad, so I shudder to think what it would look like had we not been protecting it all these years.
Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork says
Poor Lady Mary always seems to have some love issue and I do feel bad for her sister, having to watch her niece and nephew in her parents’ home.
For some reason this week we’ve been all about stuff from our freezer and random leftovers, so I feel like this soup is something we could easily have concocted at some point this week. It makes me feel better that I haven’t been so mindful about putting meals together. At least we’re always getting in our veggies, protein, and complex carbs!
Have you thought of finishing the table yourself?
mary @ minutes per mile says
we have a rustic-looking table from CB2 and i LOVE it. it looks sort of unfinished, but is super stain/liquid resistant. we just put it to the ultimate test by hosting my 3 young nieces/nephews for a month, and it came out with no stains, dents, or scratches! http://www.cb2.com/blox-35×91-dining-table/f7677
Kelly says
Just a tidbit I learned when I was table shopping, a lot of dining room tables aren’t really meant to be extra durable for everyday wear and tear since the thinking is they will get used more for special occasions. I’d make sure to ask about the finishes and make sure they are meant to stand up to a lot of wear and tear. Or I’d get a table pad. The table I got from Ethan Allen (which I love) isn’t really meant for as much use as it gets so the table pad helps keep it protected.
Micki says
My favorite table comes from a local Re-Store (benefits Habitat for Himanity). I bet your town has one! After looking at many stores, I almost bought a Pottery Barn masterpiece but couldn’t justify $1250+ for a pristine table that I knew I’d worry about whenever people came over. I found a very similar vintage table in the same stain color and size I was looking for, for under $100. I think it’s from the 1940s or 1950s and has that worn in look without looking damaged AND I’ve never thought twice about having someone over for dinner or spilling a glass of water. I bet you could score some kids stuff there too! I always see play kitchens and homemade playhouses there too!